If you haven’t noticed by my obscure Music Monday Posts (or the fact that other than David Cook you have probably never heard of any artists I have ever written about) I tend to gravitate toward the borders of the music world.Say what you want about the music you listen to, but I feel independent artists (or those who were) are the only people trying to create anything of substance anymore.Today’s music scene is about sight more than sound, singles over albums, and auto-tunes that get caught in your head driving you insane over lyrics that speak to the listener. It’s a sad state of affairs but that’s where the money is in 2010.
Music videos are mini-movies with Blockbuster budgets so what’s an Indy artists to do? The only option is to get creative. In the case of Tim Halprin this meant modeling his video for SHE RUNS after a school play. I know that the idea of three and a half minutes of cardboard lockers and painted backgrounds doesn’t sound promising, I mean who goes to a school play unless someone is making them, but with lyrics like, “Ever since she was a baby Karen couldn't sit still They had to create healthcare For all the boys that she made ill,” and, “Could this be my future? Could this be my past?Karen's running out of reasons, And I am falling fast,” the child-like innocence of the video becomes the perfect backdrop for the story ofa boy chasing a girl his entire like but never quite catching her. But don’t take my word or it, check it out yourself
So now that you saw the video, and I hope that you loved it as I did, and you want even more Tim head over to his official website where you can see lyrics, learn more about the artist, find your one stop shopping for connecting with the artist, and best of all get a link to download a free EP.
Furthermore, i was an intern at one of the greatest companies to ever intern at, resume wise. This company (which I am too mousyto mention but it owns theme parks all over the world) is a world wide conglomerate and I thought, was key to me getting a good job out of college. Now as I have mentioned before there were no jobs in journalism/ broadcasting out of college. However, though my career isn't what I thought it would be, today i was reminded it could always be worse, I could still be an intern!
THIS IS ANDREW THE INTERN
Now Andrew ( who shares his experience on twitter at http://twitter.com/IAmTheIntern ) does not work for the company I worked for, however, the thankless job of intern is the same no matter where you go. Sure, I was never videoed demonstrating a dance video for a song but I did have to perform dances from a certain movie trilogy starring Zac Efron (as a singing and dancing basketball star) on a stage before a Jonas Brothers' concert.
I love HRD and I am a huge David Cook fan so imagine my excitement when, last year, David Cook and the Anthemic were tapped to perform preshow. This year(while i am in the middle of serious Cook withdrawal because the album was supposed to come out Summer 2010 and it is now mid-summer since tomorrow is the mid-summer classic) that duty went to Train.
However since I need a Cook show like a junkie needs Heroine, let's take a trip down Memory Lane shall we.
INTERVIEW
DECLARATION
HEROES * (taped off of a TV)
PS: David if you read this (which you shouldn't be because you should be working not reading silly blogs) you are killing me. I understand making the perfect album takes time but you've got to give me something: a single, a leeked former song, a cover even a youtube video of you covering the Squidbillies theme (you mentioned that) or the ROCK,FLAG,EAGLE song from Always Sunny in Philladelphia- anything really, I'm not picky.
Thank You David, I love you GO ROYALS
*if you want to here the song better try this version
****Warning there is going to be a lot of snark and bitching in this post****
This week, Lauren and I did our usual Tuesday night movie night ritual (future post about that), going to see THE TWILIGHT SAGE: ECLIPSE. This is the third installment of the 4 book/ 5 movie TWILIGHT franchise, marking the third time I’ve come out of these movies wondering how these films/ books are a worldwide phenomena.
In the past I have tried and failed with the world wide phenomena book turned movie franchises. There was the wildly successful LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy which I found too boring and complicated for my barely teenage brain to want to follow. This was followed by HARRY POTTER AND THE MORE THAN A DECADE IT TAKES TO COMPLETE SEVEN YEARS OF SCHOOL, which was never really for me either. I understood the premise of these and, having friends who read and/ or watch both sagas, sometimes was interested in stories of them I just preferred not to take part in the mass hysteria because of the boring parts. But TWILIGHT is different, TWILIGHT intrigues me.
The basic premise of the saga, in case you live in Narnia or on the moon, is there is a girl caught in a love triangle between a vampire and a werewolf. I like love triangles and, being a fan of TRUE BLOOD, figured that the mythical elements of the story might be allegorical for some very real form of teenage angst. After three films I realize it is not. But this isn’t my issue either, I like mythical stuff. My problems with these stories (including the parts that haven’t been released thanks to Lauren telling me the plot of BREAKING DAWN) break down to three main issues: breaking pre-established rules, plagiarism, and total lack of any foundation in life.
Breaking the Rules:
Vampires don’t sparkle. Tales about the damned have existed for centuries and yet the Cullens (and later the rest of the vampires in the series) are the only ones to glow like fairy princesses every time the sun shines on their pale skin. Which brings us to my next point, vampires can’t go out until the sun goes down. Not because their skin get’s a bit of a shimmer to it but because they are so purely evil and so beyond the salvation of God that when light shines on them they burn up from the inside out.
Plagiarism:
Whatever author Stephanie Meyer didn’t completely make up in her head, she lifted off of other stories. The similarities to TRUE BLOOD alone are uncanny. Both have a love triangle. Bella must choose between Vampire Edward and Shape-shifter Jacob. TB’s Sookie Stackhouse spend most of season one deciding between Vampire Bill and Shape-shifter Sam. And by the way, before Charlene Harris wrote the TRUE BLOOD books there was no such thing as a shape-shifter, there was only werewolves*. The latest thievery occurred when Ms. Meyer wrote a novella, THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER, which tells the story of the (after) life and love of a teenage girl turned vampire which is the exact plot line of TB’s Jessica.
Lack of Foundation in Life:
If there is one thing that I cannot stand is a movie that breaks pre-established rules. I understand that these movies are a fantasy; however, these people are supposedly living in our world so our rules apply. Bella’s mom got married in the first part, sending her to live with her Police Chief father. So far so good. Almost immediately, and throughout the franchise, weird things start to happen like animal attacks and teenagers disappearing. Nobody knows that these things happen more than the police yet Bella is allowed to run around at all hours of the day and night, hang out in the woods, and even goes away for days without her father giving her a can of mace. Yet we are supposed to believe that her father is a good and loving father because he gets angry when Edward breaks his little girls heart?
And while it is true he shoots the sparkly one a few cold glances; he never tells Bella she can’t date him. He never tries to stop it, even when she repeatedly comes home with horrible injuries she has sustained from being a bystander to the Good Vampire v. Bad Vampire war. If we are to believe that Chief Head up His Booty has no idea that mythical creatures exist, than clearly Edward is an abusive boyfriend.
I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that Bella’s post-college plans aren’t questioned, but it still does. She will be turned into a vampire but says that she is going to go to college in Alaska (because who wouldn’t want to do that) and will never be able to visit again. Shouldn’t this be a red flag for dear old dad? I mean shouldn’t this be the point when he goes to her supposedly best friend Jacob (who is never questioned about his lack of ever wearing a shirt) and ask if he’s noticed any odd behavior from Bella?
And while I’m on the topic of Jacob, he says that he will try to protect Bella until her heart stops beating but then, why doesn’t he do everything in his power to stop? Apparently there is some sort of code of silence among mythical not to talk about being mythical (you know like Fight Club?) so he can’t just say, “Sir I don’t think Edward and Bella are right for each other because he’s a vampire and if we don’t do something to stop this, she’s going to be one to.” I’m fine with that because I personally don’t think anyone would believe that but what about, “Edward is trying to kill Bella and if you don’t stop him, she’ll let him because she’s blinded by love.”?
I’d love to complain about how no girl would choose to drink blood and never experience adult life over growing old in the arms of the more attractive (and alive) boy, the hear wants what it wants so it’s not technically a lack of reality based foundation.
Now will I see Breaking Dawn? Absolutely! I’ve seen more than half of the saga so it seems stupid to quit now. Also, I am not a quitter and, besides, maybe I’ll find a deeper meaning to the senselessness and if not, at least more to be baffled about.
*The difference: Werewolves turn due to stages of the moon after being bitten by another werewolf whereas shape-shifters have a genetic thing that enables a change that they can control.
And so it begins… I have come to the point of life where my age is reflected in television show titles. On Thursday I will be turning 24 and from there it’s only a hope, skip and jump away from Thirty-Something and then (god-willing) it won’t be long before I become a Golden Girl. It’s pretty scary boys and girls.
Okay so I might be exaggerating a little bit but I truly can’t believe that I am only one year away from quarter century mark. It really shouldn’t be that surprising as it seems the number of people I know who are married and/ or having babies seems to expand daily. It’s just that I can’t believe that the things that seem so recent were so long ago. Have I really known my best friend for 10 years? And how is it possible that the trip to Disney World when Kristen was doing cart wheels through the air port (and hotel, and parks, and other airport) was 2/3 of my life ago? I remember it all so vividly.
There are times when I find myself saying things about “kids today,” how they have things that we never had or how they act in ways that we never would have “When we were kids.” This is true but, oh my God, I sound old! Even worse, when I say these things I feel old. I know I’m not old but it’s weird to think of my self as a grownup (though I am) because I still feel like the girl who sat in the hallway in High School signing the “Lime in the Coconut” song while waiting for club pictures. I see no shame in telling you that I’ve done that because it is something that I would, and possibly at some point will, still do.
I figured I’d write this today because there is a good chance I won’t blog again before my birthday. I am going to see Ryan Star again tomorrow (shocking I know, I’m going to a concert) and who knows what else is in store for birthday week. In many ways, I’m different than I thought I’d be at 24 but I think that’s normal. I always thought about the job I’d have or the family I’d be making when I was a “grownup” but never much considered the fun side of things like the trips I’ve taken or how I’d be buddying around with musicians. In fact, I never really thought music would have any impact on my life, let alone become such a huge part of me. What a great surprise that was.
To finsh, it isn’t the life I pictures but it is the life I love. I have plenty of time for all that boring stuff and in the meantime, carpe dieum!
